Why test? Talent loss and enrollment loss

Among low- and average-scorers on high school achievement tests, whites are less likely than blacks to pursue an education after high school, but among high-scorers on these tests, blacks are less likely to do so. The interpretation is that whites with low or average test scores have low motivation to attend college and that blacks with high scores are handicapped by the lesser quality of high schools they attend. After analyzing the probability of attending any postsecondary institution, results are presented for enrolling in different types of college programs, including bachelors, associates, and a one-year program. When high school rank is substituted for test score, the findings show that high-scoring blacks are not penalized. Finally, when an indicator of educational aspirations is included in the analytical models, race has no independent effect on the likelihood of attending a postsecondary institution. (C) 2003 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.